As expected, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) has called for a third — and probably final — special legislative session to pass Tom DeLay’s absurd re-redistricting plan.
All of the Democrats in the Texas Senate who had fled to New Mexico to deny their chamber a quorum indicated that they will attend this session and do their best to defeat it.
However, with Republicans already having announced that they will abandon historical procedures and eliminate a rule that allows one-third of the state Senate to block consideration of legislation, it’s hard to see how Dems can prevail.
One lingering question is whether the Dems will be forced to pay $627,000 in fines ($57,000 per senator) that the GOP levied against them. Dems maintain that they’ll never pay a cent, but Republicans maintain that they’ll punish lawmakers who fail to pony up.